Carding method and machine



Aug. 9, 1949. s. WILKINSON I CARDING METHOD AND MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 22, 1944 .w W m /l V l v 7 W m m Y .B 5 m ,1949. I s. WILKINSON 2,478,799

CARDING METHOD AND MACHINE Filed Nov. 22, 1944 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. STA IvLEy ML/r/A/soN Patented Aug. 9, 1949 CARDING METHOD AND MACHINE Stanley Wilkinson, Norton, Mass., assignor to Winslow Bros. & Smith 00., Boston, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 22, 1944, Serial No. 564,595

12 Claims. 1

This invention relates to machines and methods for carding textile fibres, particularly wool.

Heretofore, the most efficient method of carding textile fibres that has been developed, and which has been the standard method in use for many years, is by a machine having a set of successively arranged rotary carding cylinders of large diameter surfaced with line teeth, over which cylinders the stream or layer of wool or other fibre successively passes and upon which the heterogeneously arranged fibres of the uncarded layer are combed or worked into a generally parallel condition lengthwise of the layer. The usualcarding machine of this character has two such carding cylinders, four to five feet in diameter, together with feed rolls, worker rolls, doffers, etc.

Satisfactory carding can be obtained with these machines only so long as the cylinder speed and depth of the fibre layer processed are kept below certain definite maximum limits, and the quality of the carding action tends to decrease as these limits are closely approached. These limits in turn determine the maximum possible production output per machine, as output is a function of the cylinder speed and thickness of the fibre layer. These limiting factors, determining maximum productive capacity of these prior machines, vary somewhat according to the type and condition of fibre being carded, the quality of carding needed, and the make of carding machine employed, but takin wool as an example, about the maximum carding speed of the best available two cylinder machine on the more easily carded fine wools is, for minimum acceptable carding, within the vicinity of 45' pounds per hour carded fibre output, and this varies down to the vicinity of 30 pounds per hour for high grade carding and-wools that are more difficult to card.

The limited productive capacity obtainable with these prior carding machines is exceedingly low when their large size and high cost are considered. Upwards of ten such cardin machines are required to handle the output of the average wool combing plant of seven Noble combs. They not only take up a vast amount of floor space, but they aleo require much labor, as it is ordinarily necessary to have one operator for each two carding machines. ductive capacity is likely to be considerably lower than that of machineswhich feed them, such as wool burring machines to which worsted cards In addition, their pro- 2 to be run at a lower production rate than would otherwise be warranted.

For these reasons, strenuous efforts have been made to provide aspeedier method and machine for carding, but, heretofore, without success. Many attempts have also been made to increase the productive capacity of the standard method and machine by increasing the number of successive carding cylinders, with corresponding worker rolls, over and between which the fibre layer passes, and thus multiplying the number of successive carding actions on the layer. But while a slight increase in productive capacity has been obtained in this way, it is so small that in most cases it does not justify the added machine expense and increased floor space required over the usual two carding cylinder machine.

I have discovered that by splitting the fibre layer into two, preferably approximately equal, parts, each of lesser thickness than the initial layer, and completely carding each of the two layer parts separately by successive working carding steps like those heretofore applied to the layer in its entirety, a much better grade of carding is obtained at the same productive rate than by the prior method, and therefore that the same quality of carding can be obtained at a much greater rate of production. In fact, by thus splitting a layer of wool fibre to be carded into close to equal parts and subjecting each part separately to separate carding steps, substantially like those performed on the layer as a whole in the prior method previously described, I have been able to card W001 to the same or superior extent or grade atfrom one and a half to twice and even more times the production rate possible in the prior method.

I have further found that this method makes possible, and indeed, preferable, substantial reduction in diameter of the carding cylinders, a diameter of twenty to thirty inches being suitable, which is about half the diameter of carding cylinders usually employed heretofore. In the carding machine of the invention, such small diameter carding cylinders are preferably employed, arranged in upper and lower sets on a frame, there being usually the same'number of carding cylinders in each set, normally two, as would be employed for carding the fibre in a single layer in the prior practice and machine. By reason of such reduced size of cylinders and other parts, I am enabled by the invention to. provide a carding machine of substantially double the capacity of the prior standard'm achine, which takes less are frequently attached, which therefore have 55 floor space than the prior machine, and which can be produced and operated at little, if any, additional cost and with no more tending labor needed. The large increase in productive capacity possible with the new method and machine of the invention therefore results in substantially correspondingly large savings in floor space, labor, and power cost, which are in turn reflected in reduced cost of the carding operation.

Worki'n'g of the two parts of the split layer of fibre during the carding operation is accomplished by combing a portion of the fibre from the carding cylinder, as by means of a worker roll and returning it to the cylin-derahtl to" the fibre stream thereon in adyance of the take off point by means of a stripper rEi ll Sueh Lolking action takes place at least at two points and preferably at three or more points on each carding cylinder.

The foregoing and other features and-advantages of the process of the invention will be more fully understood irornthfe ensuing description of the appended drawings; wherei' '2 Fig. 1 is a diagramrnat'ic-side elevation of a preferred ernbcwdinrer' t of the carding machineof the invention, with framework indicated in not and dash lines andsuitabledrive connections for the various cylinders and roilers indicated in dotted lines, the toothedsuirfacin' of the carding and other cylinde'r's being partially indicated, on an x ra ed Fig. 1a is a di'ag inmafiic illustration on. a larger scale of abet of worker and stripper rolls and a portion of a-eardingQcylinder of Fig. 1, indicating thearr'angenient of surfacing teeth on an exaggerateds calep h I Fig. 2 is adiagjraniniatic sideel'evation of "card'- in apparatus o'i the 'ir'ijvent'iofn combined with wool burring and opening mechanism;

Fig. Sis a diagrammatic side elevation of carding apparatus of the invention combined with a 1 different type of burring and opening mocha nism;and e Fig. 3a is a diagrammaticjside elevation of a modified portion-of the apparatus of Fig. 3.

Referring to Eigs. landlaofthe drawing, the wool or other fibre is-fed-a's a layer L onto a feeding in cylinder "lll c'alleda rarer-ra er lickerin, by suitable feed rnechanisrnwhich includes the 'conveyer belt! 2, "ife ed 'rcill s' l4.16.andjti ghtener roll 8. Layer'L-is carried by cylinder ID to a rotary splitter 21) which removes the upper half of the layer "L on cylinder 10, inditiated by L and transfers-it, by rneans o'f angle stripper 25, to a first uppercardifig cylinder 22. The

other half of the layerL 'remainingon the cylinder l 0, indicated o -L s carried by thatcyh inder to a transfer ro'll ZBbywhich it stripped from cylinder I and transferred to a'first lower carding cylinder '24.

The upper half of the fiibre layer,L is carried upon the surface of the'cardingcyli ider 22 about a half-revolution to a doffer 26 which strijcisit from the cylinder. The fibre is stripped from doifer 26 by an angle s'tripper'roll fl which trans fers it'to the secondcai'ding cylinder 28 of the uppergset on which the fibre is carried't'o asceonddoffer 30, from whichit is removed by doffer coin'b's 3'2. In like manner, the-lbwerhalf or the fibre layer, L is advanced "carding cylinder 24, dofier 34, angle stripper and cardingcylinder 36to'doffer 3'8 from which it'isremoved by doffing combs 40. I I g Each ofthe carding cylinders 22, 24.23 andtfi has associated therewith -a -s'e't of worker rolls, designated 42, there being threesu'ch rolls for each carding cylinder in the apparatus as illustrated. These worker rolls are arranged at spaced intervals about the cylinder axis to engage and pick up part of the fibre from the cylinder surface and each is preceded by a stripper roll which strips the fibre from its worker roll and returns it to the surface of the cylinder in advance of theworker roll; thus effectively workrag and combihg'fthe fibre is its passage over the carding cylinders. The strippers for the first worker roll of each upper carding cylinder and of the second lower carding cylinder are the angle "strippers- 2'1, 21 and 35, respectively. The strippersforthe reznaining worker rolls, of somewhat smaller di 'ameter than the angle strippers, are d'esi gn il ed 44: A worker roller 42 and stripper 44 are also associated with the lickerin cylinder ID.

The-carded fibre stream L removed from the doffer 3!) by combs 32, is guided downwardly in an inclined chute 4S wh're it is recombined with the carded fibre stream L combed fr'o'in 'doffer E58 by combs 40, into "a single layer L of now completelycarded fibre, which passes between CiIEW-Ofi rollers 48.

A frame in which the parts are mounted is indicated in dot-dash lines in Fig. 1'. To facilitate cleaning, the frame may be divided Into two 'suc ces's'i ve epara e secti ns. suitably between the first do'ffe'r's and second carding cylinders of the two sets of cardingm'echanisr'n's.

The direction of rutanbirpr the cylinders and rolls is shown by ar'rbwsi'n Figs. 1- and 1a. Suitable toothed surfacing- 'o r oaming" for the cylinders and rollers is indicated thereon in Figs. 1 and la, in partial exaggerated section. The carding "and lickeri'n cylinders; and the dofie'rs, have, as shown what is called "m'etallic wire" clothing, designated W, formed of saw-toothed flat wire wound 'edgewise in closely spaced spiral turns about 'the 's'urfajc'e' of the cylinders. The teeth are inclined. in the case of the carding cylinders and 'licliri'n-cyliifder'"in the direction of rotation and, in the case "of the differs, in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation. The splitter, transfer roll workjer rolls and strippers are shown as clothed with what is known as fillet. designated by th'e lette'r F in Figs. 1 1a, "consisting of fine, closely spaced bent wires anchored in a fibfdiis baseand projecting therefrom as finely spaced te'e'thjforming a wire comb. The inclined outer ends of the'fillet teeth of the splitter, transfer roll and stripper rolls point inthfe directionof their rotation (the direction of the "fillet teeth of 'tlieangle strippers is the same as that of the strippers M as indicated in Fig. la)=,'wlrieras' the fillet t'e'ethof the worker rolls point opposite to the direction of rotation.

Both theme'tallic wire andfille't'types of clothing are well "known and commerciall available. Either type can be used throughout if desired, although I'prefer the useof both types'as shown.

'suita-bledrive connections :from a motor M to the various-cylinders-and rolls are indicated by dash lines in-Fig. 1,-except for the drive to the doffers which maybe by reduction gearing connection to the carding cylinders. The-arrangement is .s'uchthat the carding cylinders are all driven at a uniformsurface speed and the other cylindersfarid rolls at correlated lower surface speeds. Th worker rolls are "driven at the lowest surface speed which ma ror example, be about 1% of thesurfacespe'dofthecarding cylinders and one-thirdto one-half thatof'thedofiers and transfer ion. The sti'ibp'is and ahg'le "strippers the lickerin at about 4 to of the surface speed of the carding cylinders. v

For best results, the splitter should be operated to divide the layer into equal, or close to equal, parts. The splitter roll performs its func-- tion by means of the point to point relation of its teeth to those of the lickerin cylinder and a lower surface speed of rotation than that of the lickerin. The proper surface speed ratio of splitter to lickerin to obtain an even split of the fibre being carded. For carding fine wool that is fully opened, I have found that the splitter should be operated at from one-fifth to one-quarterof the surface speed of the lickerin.

The carding cylinders are preferably from .to inches in diameter, and the ratio of the diameters of the other cylinders and rolls thereto may be of the order of that indicated in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings, carding apparatus of the invention is shown combined with opening and burring mechanism of what is known as the four lickerin type. In this figure, parts of the carding apparatus corresponding to those of Fig. 1 are represented by primes of the same reference numerals. The unit shown comprises feeder mechanism indicated at Hill by which the wool is fed to a first lickerin roll I02. Part of the wool on the first lickerin is removed by a divider I04 which transfers it to a second lickerin I06. The remainder of the fibre on the first lickerin is stripped by the second lickerin and the fibre is carried, past a tightener roll M8 to a divider III) which removes part of the fibre and transfers it to a third lickerin, which is a so-called Morel cylinder I I2. The rest of the fibre on lickerin I06 is stripped by the Morel cylinder and the fibre is carried past a brush H3 to a divider I I4 which removes part of the fibre and transfers it to a licherin H6. The rest of the fibre on the Morel cylinder is stripped by lickerin H6 and the fibre is tightened thereon by a tightener roll II8. In passing over the cylinders and dividers, the wool is engaged by rotary beaters or burr knockers 120 which remove the burrs and other foreign matter. The direction of rotation of the cylinders and rolls is shownby arrows.

lickerin and the first lower carding cylinder 24' and transfers the upper half of the fibre layer, shown at L' in Fig. 1, to the carding cylinder 22. Also, in this case, the remaining half of the fibre layer on the lickerin I I6 may, as shown, be stripped directly therefrom by the first upper carding cylinder 22'. Thus, no transfer roll corresponding to the roll 23 of Fig. 1 is needed. In this case, the splitter transfers directly to the carding cylinder 24' and, therefore, the angle stripper shown at 2| in Fig. 1 is omitted, being replaced by an ordinary stripper 44'. With the exceptions noted, the form and operation of the carding apparatus of Fig. 2 is the same as that of Fig. 1 and will, therefore be understood without repeated description.

Fig. 3 shows the carding apparatus combined with another type of opening and burring mechanism for worsted burring and carding. In this figure, the parts of the carding apparatus corresponding to those of Fig. 1 are designated by double primes of the same reference numerals.

In this unit, the wool fibre is fed by a feederdevice 200 to a lickerin 202. A-divider 28 4 removes part of the fibre from the lickerin and the fibre is in turn stripped from the divider by a. first upper Morel roll 206. The-fibre on roll 206 is carried past a tightener 208 to a divider 2"! which transfers part of it to a second'upper Morel roll 2I2 which strips the remainder of the fibre directly from roll 206. Roll 2I2 transfers the fibre to lickerin 2H], partly by means of divider 2! t and the rest directly.

The part of the fibre layer on lickerin 202 passing divider 284 is transferred, by a brush roll 22! to a first lower Morel roll 222 which carries it past a tightener 224 to a divider 226 by which a part is-transierred to the second lower Morel roll 228. The rest of the fibre on roll 222 is stripped directly onto roll 228 which'carriesthe .fibre past a brush 236 to lickerin 2H3 which strips the fibre onto the fibre ithas previously received from the second upper Morel roll 2J2. 1 A j ,In passing'overthe Morel rolls, the flbre is substantially freed of burrs, shives, etc., byburr knockers 232.

Lickerin 2 58 corresponds to lickerin N6 of Fig. 2, taking the place of the lickerin [0 of the carding apparatus of Fig. 1. The carding apparatus is the same as in Fig. 2, the upper halfof the fibre layer being transferred to the-first lower carding cylinder 26" by splitter 20, andthe other half beingstrippedfrom the lickerin bythe first upper carding cylinder. The operation isthe sameas in the embodiments of Figs. 1 and 2. i

When the carding operation is preceded by an operation, such as the opening and burringoperation of the apparatus (of Fig. 3, in which the fibre layer is divided into two, parts which are separately treated, it is not essentialtorecombine the parts of the fibrelayer preliminary to'carding, as is done in the-apparatus of Fig. 3. For example, in the apparatus of Fig.3, lickerin 218 and splitter 20" may be omitted and the two halves of the fibre layer may then be passed by transfer rolls to the first upper and lowercarding cylinders, respectively, from the second upper and lower Morel rolls, as in Fig. 3a, in which glickerin 2I8 and splitter 20" of Fig. 3 have been replaced by upper and lower transfer rolls 234 and 236, respectively, which transfer the two fibre streams directly from the second upper and lower Morel rolls 2l2 and 228 to the first upper and lower carding cylinders 22" and 24"; I prefer,

"however, th arrangement of Fig. 3, since it is more difficult to make a. uniform split of unopened wool and, furthermore, the initial split may become. unbalanced due to removal of more burrs and other foreign matter from one half \of a the fibre layer than from the other.

The great improvement in carding which the 1 method and apparatus of the invention produce is illustrated by the following comparative results in wool carding of various common types of wool i with the split layer method practiced with carding apparatus as shown in Fig. .3 (four carding cylinders, two upper and two lower) combined -with openingand burring mechanism, as also shown in Fig. 3, and with the prior, single layer method practiced with two carding cylinder 'carding machines of standard make,'c=ombined with the same opening and burring mechanism. The wool in both cases was made into topsand tested for quality of carding bythe standard nibcount test.

(Nibs are snarls of short, uncombed fibre and the qualityjof the carding varies inj versely with the number of nibs; The nib count is-the num er. of nibs per rourdrams, one-fourth war-2 .85 19 ounce, o'f-itops.) Results-are set fortn -imthe eiollowl e able:

8 streamin meehamsm t ,-senar t card -sai 11 twonbre streams.

' In-the carding apparatus aecordinatothedu- ="Vention used for practicing the split layer method with the results reported in the foregoing table, the fibre treating cylinders and rollerswere of regular lengthend lof the-following diameters: carding cylinders, 26"; doiiers 20' =-workers, 5.5"; strippers, 4"; splitter, 16"; angle strip- -'=pers,.5.5". lf hey were'operated atthe relative surface speeds previously mentioned-as il1ustrative ofsuitablespeed ratios for W001 carding.

The apparatus required-about one-fourth less floorspace than the comparative two cylinder, single'iayer machines. Also, the surfacespeed =of*thesplitter relative to that of the lickerin was suchthat the wool layer on the lickerin-was dividedby' thesplitter into two streams of'close to equal weight and thickness,- and the two sets of carding mechanisms were of like construction and-operation so asto produce the same cardmg -action on-equalfibre streams. This'is-pref- -erable; since the-carding efiiciency of the-method and=appara tus= is nor-mally less'ifthe two'fibre streams formedby the splitter are of materially different weight and thickness, or if the two-sets "of carding mechanisms operate toproduce distinctly different grades of carding om thetwo streams.

Whileit" is-ordinarilydesirable to recombine the-= two carded halves-=01? the fibre layer at the =completion of the carding operations =thereon, this is not essential. nism normally and preferably has two-carding cylinders with cor-respondingworkers, strippers, etc was' in: the embodiments illustrated but only 1:01-18,- 'or--more"than two; such cylinders may be :employed in-each-set.

Having. described preferred forms 0f the apaparatus and. method of :Jthe invention whav I -:desire to claim: and secureby Letters-Patent 11s:

1; l. :Garding L apparatus comprising feeds-means foriieeding a unitary layerrof fibresrtorbe carded: lrtwo :sets of i carding mechanisms disposed --one above the other, each set including: a rotarycardring-.cylinder:adapted. to carry- ;upon*-its surface, ashore; and partially.- about its axis, a.-.streama;ot :z-Kfibres to;be= carded, and a: plurality of fibrerziworke. ting meansassociatedwith said cylinderran'd =10- icated'aboveithesame; each including aaworken roll -operative to comb a portion of 1 the fibre stream ef-from the cylinder. and means for strippingcthe (fibre :from. the :worker troll andnforreturning it r.-to.c. the,;-cylinderz at the side: of the ==worker -roll mtoward which thecylinder rotates, splittermeans :;-1ocated between said'feeding means and said scylinders= for separating said uni-tary layer of fibres into two fibrestreamseach of substantially uniformdesser thickness than said layer:- and for etransferring one of said fibre streams-- onto one :Df 'saidcylindersand the other of said-fibre ---streams: onto the-other one-of said cylinders; and

lwmeans for simultaneously cperatina'sa-idtwo sets Each -set ofcarding mecha- 2. carding apparatus as claimed in claim '1 which includes 3 means for dof fing :said fibre streams from said carding cylinders-andfor recombining said doffed fibre streams.

-3.;-Carding apparatus as claimed in elai m l wherein said splltter -n1eansseparates-the fibre layer-into two fibre streams each of aproximately half the thickness and fibre content of the-initial laye 1 Carding apparatus as claimed in-c1aim;1

-ein saidfeed means includes a toothed suriacecl rotary drum for. advancing'the fibrelayer o11 its said surface and said splitter meanscomprises a .toothedsurfaced rotary roll associated with sald drurn and rotated about an axis parallel to the drum. axis in thesarnedireetion of rotation as. the drum, said roll and said drum both having the teeth of their toothed surfaces pointing in the direction of 1 'otation thereof.

Caroling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 c ein said carding cylinders have a diameter substantially less than four feet.

a r n app r com r s n i s insee for. fesdinga unitary layer of fibres to be carded, two sets of cardin mechanisms disposedpne above theother, eaclrset including "a first and a secondrotary cardingcylinder, each ,adap'fid .tocarry uponits surface above and partially about. its axis aestream of fibrestoioeyarded,

.aphn'ality of fibre workingrpmeans associated u with each said carding cylinder and located above the same, each includinga.workerroll.operatiye to comba portion of the fibre stream f-romthe cylinder and ineansiorstrippingthe fibre from the worker roll and for returning. it to the .cyl-

inder at the side of the. worker roll toward-which kthe cylinder rotates, and .means for dofiingr the fibre stream from said first carding cylinder and transferring it to said. second carding cylinder,

.. splitte1- means located ;between said feeding AIMEE/11S and said carding cylinders: fonsplittirig said unitary layer of fibres into two fibre s treams each of=-substantiaily uniform lesser thiclmess 4, than ,said iayer and for transferring one of ,said

ams QIIlGO Ol'lB of said first carding cylinders and the other of said fibrestreamsonto ;.the other one-of saidfirst carding cylinders, and

5 means for simultaneously operatingsaid; two sets of carding mechanisms to separately card sa id 7 -;8.- Cardingapparatus as claimed in ,claimrfi e wherein said splitter means separates the rfibre dayer intotwo fibre streams each of approximately "thalietherthickness and; fibre content of the initial slayer.

r75 r.9.-'iCarding. ..apparatus as-claimedein zclaimefi wherein said feed means includes a toothed surfaced rotary drum for advancing the fibre layer on its said surface and said splitter means comprises a toothed surfaced rotary roll associated with said drum and rotated about an axis parallel to the drum axis in the same direction of rotation as the drum, said roll and said drum both having the teeth of their toothed surfaces pointing in the direction of rotation thereof.

10. Carding apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said carding cylinders have a diameter substantially less than four feet.

11. The combination with fibre opening mech anism which includes means for feeding a unitary layer of the fibres, means for splitting the layer into two fibre streams each of lesser thickness than said layer and means for advancing said streams in vertically superimposed paths while treating each stream separately to open the fibre thereof, of two sets of carding mechanisms disposed one above the other, each set including a rotary carding cylinder adapted to carry upon its surface, above and partially about its axis, a stream of fibres to be carded, and a plurality of fibre workin means associated with said cylinder and located above the same, each including a worker roll operative to comb a portion of the fibre stream from the cylinder and means for stripping the fibre from the worker roll and for returning it to the cylinder at the side of the worker roll toward which the cylinder rotates, means for transferring one of said streams of opened fibres onto one of said cylinders and the other of said streams onto the other said cylinder, and means for simultaneously operating said two sets of carding mechanisms to separately card said two fibre streams.

12. The method of treating wool and other fibres which comprises feeding a layer of the fibres to be treated, splitting from the layer two fibre streams each of lesser thickness than the initial layer, advancing said streams along separate, vertically superimposed paths and while so advancing said streams separately simultaneously subjecting each stream to the action of fibre opening mechanism, then separately simultaneously carding each stream by carrying the stream on a carding surface past successive fibre working zones and in each of said zones combing 011 an outer upper portion of the fibre stream from said surface and recirculatin said portion beyond and above said surface to the combing off point by depositing it on a preceding part of the stream.

STANLEY WILKINSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,478,799 August 9, 1949 STANLEY WILKINSON It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correctlon as follows:

Column 1, line 49, for aleo read also; column 4, line 71, for Thi read The; column 5, line 11, after the word fibre insert layer will vary somewhat unth the type and condition of fibre;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 20th day of December, A. D. 1949.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

